The use of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary by-pass for cardiac support has become well established. This use has, however, involved median sternotomy or less commonly thoracotomy with all of the trauma that necessarily accompanies such a major surgical procedure.
The present invention contemplates, at least in its preferred embodiments, the possibility of effective ascending aortic occlusion, cardioplegia, venting, right heart deflation and topical cooling in association with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary by-pass all without necessitating a median sternotomy or other thoracic incision.